NEW YORK – 51 times this season the Yankees have trailed in a game only to come from behind and win. So when Twins closer Joe Nathan took the mound with a two-run lead in the bottom of the ninth inning, you wondered if there would any late inning magic at the new Yankee Stadium.
Here they were, trailing in the game 3-1 to a team that had scored the go-ahead runs against Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera, the backend strength of the Yankees bullpen and were set to tie the series at one game apiece going back to The Metrodome.
Led by a game tying homerun by Alex Rodriguez and a walk-off homerun by Mark Teixeira, the Yankees turned sure defeat into instant victory as they rallied to win 4-3 and take a 2-0 lead in the AL Division Series in front of 50,006 at the Stadium.
Nathan, one of the highly regarded closers in the league, has had struggles in his career against the Yankees. In 2004, attempting to save another Game 2, he blew a one-run lead in an eventual loss. When the two teams played in May this season, Nathan carried a two-run lead into the bottom of the ninth and gave up three runs to lose the game.
Mark Teixeira lead off the bottom of the ninth lacing a hard single to right field to give the Yankees a chance. In stepped Alex Rodriguez, who had already drove in the only teams run back in the sixth inning with a single, but has been dogged with an inability to come through late in games, specifically in the playoffs.
Rodriguez worked the count to 3-1, Nathan attempted to come inside with a fastball and the Yankees slugger crushed it to right centerfield into the bullpen to tie the score at two. For Rodriguez, it was his fourth hit of the series and fifth run driven in as the Stadium went crazy.
On a 2-1 pitch in the eleventh inning, Teixeira golfed the ball down the left field line that just barely cleared the top of the wall and counted for a homerun and the 16th walk-off hit of the season.
All of this started in the top of the eighth inning with the game tied at one. Phil Hughes had retired the first two Twins hitters of the inning before yielding a walk to Carlos Gomez. Brendan Harris singled to right, and with two strikes. He threw a curveball to Nick Punto that was lifted into center for a base hit, scoring Gomez and giving the Twins a 2-1 lead. Hughes would be lifted for Mariano Rivera who would then give up a single to Denard Span, scoring Harris to make it 3-1.
Prior to that, both Yankees starter AJ Burnett and Twins starter Nick Blackburn were locked in a pitcher’s duel. Both starters held the other team scoreless through the first five innings. Burnett gave up a walk to Delmon Young in between a Michael Cuddyer ground out and Carlos Gomez strike out. With a 3-1 count, Harris drilled a triple off the wall in left center, scoring Young for the game’s first run.
The Yankees answered in the bottom half of the inning when after Derek Jeter hit a ground rule double and Johnny Damon walked, Rodriguez hit a sharp single to left, scoring Jeter to tie the game.
Scoring one run through six innings made the decision of Manager Joe Girardi to start Jose Molina questionable. However, Molina was able to guide Burnett through six innings and the right-hander delivered a solid performance. Over 95 pitches, he gave up three hit and the lone run, walking five and striking out six. Blackburn matched him before being removed in the sixth, giving up only three hits as well, walking two and striking out three.
Joba Chamberlain and Phil Coke teamed up to pitch a scoreless seventh, as they each saw action for the second time in the series. Rivera would stay in to pitch the ninth after giving up the run (charged to Hughes) and held the Twins scoreless.
Alfredo Aceves pitched the 10th and did not allow a run and in the eleventh, Damaso Marte gave up what was supposed to be a double to Joe Mauer. Umpire Phil Cuzzi ruled the ball foul down the line, but replays would the ball hit off left field Melky Cabrera’s glove and landed in fair territory before bouncing into the seats. Mauer would single later in the at bat and Jason Kubel singled to put the first two runners on in the inning. David Robertson would come on immediately gave up a single to Michael Cuddyer to load the bases with no one out.
Robertson would play Houdini to escape the jam. Delmon Young swung at the first pitch and lined out to Teixeira for the first out. Carlos Gomez would swing at the first pitch and grounded into a force play with Mauer being thrown out at home. With two out, Brendan Harris would fly out to Nick Swisher to end the inning and the Yankees had preserved the tie.
This allowed for Teixeira’s heroics in the bottom half of the inning as the Yankees took a 2-0 lead in the series and will look to go for the sweep on Sunday night in Game 3 in Minnesota.
Andy Pettitte take the ball for the Yankees and Twins starter Carl Pavano is the only thing standing in the way from a berth in the American League Championship Series.
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